England forward Beth Mead to leave Arsenal at the end of the season
England international Beth Mead will leave Arsenal at the end of the season in search of regular playing time after a glittering nine-year stint in north London.
The 31-year-old was hailed as a true club legend after scoring 86 goals in 263 appearances since arriving from Sunderland in 2017.
Both London City Lionesses and Manchester City are reportedly interested in securing the signature of the highly sought-after attacker.
A decorated spell in north London
During her distinguished tenure, the Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner helped secure a Women’s Super League title, three League Cups, and the Women’s Champions League.
She famously assisted Stina Blackstenius’ winning goal in last season’s Champions League final against Barcelona, ending a painful 18-year wait for European glory.
Beth has made a huge contribution to our football club over nine years, and will go down in history as one of our best forwards and a legend of the club.
That glowing tribute from Arsenal director of women’s football Clare Wheatley highlights the profound impact the versatile winger has had on the entire organisation.
Search for minutes ahead of World Cup
Despite her undeniable quality, the former Sunderland star has found her starting opportunities increasingly limited throughout the current campaign.
The prolific forward has made 27 appearances across all competitions this season, but 11 of those have come as a substitute.
With the 2027 World Cup in Brazil approaching, securing consistent minutes elsewhere is vital to remaining firmly in England manager Sarina Wiegman’s future plans.
This pressing need for playing time follows a gruelling 11-month recovery from a serious anterior cruciate ligament rupture suffered in November 2022.
The knee injury forced the 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year to miss the 2023 World Cup, though she successfully returned to help the Lionesses retain their European crown at Euro 2025.
Pelova also departs the Emirates
In addition to their celebrated number nine, Arsenal confirmed that Dutch international Victoria Pelova will also exit the club this summer.
The 25-year-old midfielder departs having made 87 appearances and scored six goals since her arrival from Ajax in January 2023.